Q1.Tell
me something about the career of company secretary?A1.The
use of the word secretary in the name of this specialisation is a bit misleading
for one who is new to the concept. A Company Secretary has nothing to do with
regular secretarial work. A Company Secretary is a professional whose role in
a corporate set up is that of an advisor for legal matters. As per the Companies
Act, a statutory requirement is that companies with a paid up share capital
of a minimum of Rs 50 lakh are required to appoint a Company Secretary. A Company
Secretary is a very important member of the company’s management.

Q2.What
is the role of "The Institute of Company Secretaries of India " ?A2.The
Institute of Company Secretaries of India is constituted under the Company Secretaries
Act, 1980, to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries in
India. The origin of this profession can be traced back to 1960, when the Company
Law Board started a course in Company Secretaryship leading to a Government
Diploma in Company Secretaryship. A tremendous growth in the number of Company
Secretaries led to the formation, in 1969, of The Institute of Company Secretaries
of India under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. The Institute of Company
Secretaries of India has been converted into a statutory body under the Company
Secretaries Act, 1980.

Q3.What
does a Company Secretary do?A3. The
range of services that a Company Secretary is trained to carry out is wide.
In actual practice, it will depend upon the size of the company he or she is
working with. The nature of activities that the company is engaged in will also
affect the type of services that a Company Secretary is required to provide.
Functions of a Company Secretary A Company Secretary has been recognised by
law as one of the principal officers of the Company. The knowledge that he or
she acquires during training makes him or her versatile enough to carry out
functions in various areas like finance, accounts, legal administration and
personnel division. Training as a Company Secretary equips a person to provide
the following services. Handling legal aspects that need to be covered for incorporation,
formation, promotion, amalgamation, reorganisation or winding up of a company,
are the responsibilities of a Company Secretary ¨ If a company goes public,
then management of the public issue falls under the ambit of a Company Secretary's
responsibility. ¨ All legalities involved with inter-corporate investments and
loans are looked after by a Company Secretary. ¨ All responsibilities attached
to meetings of Board of Directors are attached to the Company Secretary. He
or she is responsible for scheduling them in consultation with other members
of the management team, conduct the meetings and maintain all records related
to the meetings. ¨ Depending upon the needs of the company that he or she is
working for, a Company Secretary is required to handle matters related to central/state
sales tax, excise laws, labour laws and corporate laws. ¨ Looking into the details
of processing applications for management appointments and their remuneration
is also the responsibility of a Company Secretary. ¨ A Company Secretary handles
matters related to obtaining institutional finance. Responsibilities in this
regard would include getting project approvals, obtaining relevant licences
and permits, zeroing in on all requirements under the MRTP (Monopolies and Restrictive
Trade Practices Act) and FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act) and any other
relevant legislation. ¨ The Company secretary is authorised to sign the annual
returns of the company, as also represent the company when a situation demands
it. The above-mentioned duties are just a broad guideline of what is expected
of a Company Secretary.

Q4.Who
can become a Company Secretary?A4.The
minimum eligibility required for the foundation course for training as a Company
Secretary is 10+2 or an equivalent examination. Graduates or post-graduates
in commerce, or any other discipline except fine arts, are allowed to skip the
foundation course and enrolled directly for the intermediate examination. This
exemption is also extended to those who have passed out of the Institute of
Cost and Works Accountancy or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
For better prospects one may opt for the Company Secretary course after having
completed either the Cost and Works Accountancy course or the Chartered Accountancy
course or both. The course The Institute of Company Secretaries of India conduct
examinations for different levels of competencies. Those who clear these examinations
are granted membership to the Institute.

Q5.Where
are the centres of the institute?A5.The
Institute has headquarters at New Delhi. Offices at Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi
and Mumbai, four regional councils and thirty-six chapters of the Institute
in various cities provide the infrastructure through which the Institute functions.
This course is a mixture of postal tuition and optional coaching classes. Study
material is provided to the students at the time of admission. On completion
of postal coaching and contact classes, if the student has opted for it, he
or she is eligible for appearing for the examinations conducted by the Institute.
Registration for each examination needs to be done at least nine months before
the month in which the examination is held. The examinations are held in June
and December every year. Examinations are held at thirty-six centres.

Q6.What
is the procedure for becoming a Company Secretary?A6.
It is as follows: Pass 10+2 or equivalent examination Enrol with the institute
for foundation course Complete the compulsory postal coaching Pass the foundation
examination Register with the institute for intermediate course. Graduates and
those who have passed out of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountancy or
the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India can enter straightaway at this
level. Complete the compulsory postal coaching for the intermediate course.
¨ Pass the intermediate examination. Enrol for the final course ¨ Complete the
compulsory postal coaching for the final course. During this period the student
is also required to undergo management training or apprenticeship with a company
recognised by the Institute or with a recognised practising company Secretary.
The duration of the training may vary from 12 months to 24 months, depending
upon whether it is done on a full time or part time basis. Pass the final examination.
¨ Undergo practical training for four months. Now a student qualifies for membership
of the Institute On admission as an Associate member, he or she is entitled
to use the descriptive letters "ACS" after his name. Senior members in the profession
are eligible for admission as Fellow Members, and on admission as Fellow Members
they are eligible to use the descriptive letters "FCS" after their names.

Q8.What
are the prospects for employment ?A8.
Today's global scene shows a focus on the development of the corporate sector.
Growth automatically translates into the involvement legalities of various kinds.
And this falls under the purview of a Company Secretary. Companies need advice
from a person with a thorough knowledge of all relevant laws. This service is
provided for by the Company Secretary. So the employment potential in the corporate
sector is very high. Openings are also available in government sectors, in bodies
like the Bureau of Public Enterprises, government financial institutions and
stock exchanges. Other government openings are the Accounts branch of the Central
Government Law Services; the finance, law, accounts and merchant banking divisions
of nationalised banks. An option for the academically inclined is as lectures
in universities. A combination of experience and expertise can lead to appointment
at top level positions like chairman, directors and managing director, in reputed
organisations.